CHICAGO -- Manager Robin Ventura was not pleased with his "listless offense" during Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Mets, calling it unacceptable. But Ventura made clear Friday that he certainly wasn't questioning his team's effort with those comments.

"I just think the way it looks as far as guys have effort and all that stuff," Ventura said. "It's a team game, and everybody has to have their at-bat that shows that it's a team game. You have to do your job and things like that. Just the way it looks. Effort-wise, there's guys definitely giving effort."

Ventura added that he's never had a single problem with a player not giving full effort during his managerial tenure.

"Just because somebody doesn't do well, it doesn't mean they aren't trying," Ventura said. "We haven't had anybody here that has gone out there and you thought he wasn't trying his best. When you see that, that's to me the ultimate in not respecting the game, and he wouldn't be playing."

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.